Abstract

Recent investigations show that the primary somatosensory cortex undergoes topographic remodeling after peripheral nerve injury and after subsequent nerve regeneration. The overall objective of the proposed research is to understand the cortical consequences of nerve injury and nerve regeneration and to identify patterns of cortical recovery that are necessary to restore good sensory function after peripheral injury. In working toward this objective, in the proposed research for the upcoming year the primary somatosensory cortex of monkeys will be studied with neurophysiological recording techniques after peripheral nerve injury.
The specific aims are to: (1) complete studies begun during year 01 on the cortical consequences of different types of peripheral injury, and (2) perform studies on the limitations in the capacity of cortex to recover cutaneous responsiveness after nerve transection injuries involving different degrees of denervation. Depending on the outcome of these experiments, it may also be possible to begin the study of the long-term cortical effects of nerve repair.

  Funding Agency

Agency
National Institute of Health (NIH)
Institute
National Institute of Neurological Disorders and Stroke (NINDS)
Type
Research Project (R01)
Project #
5R01NS021105-02
Application #
3401911
Study Section
Communication Sciences and Disorders (CMS)
Project Start
1985-07-01
Project End
1988-06-30
Budget Start
1986-07-01
Budget End
1987-06-30
Support Year
2
Fiscal Year
1986
Total Cost
Indirect Cost

  Institution

Name
Vanderbilt University Medical Center
Department
Type
Schools of Arts and Sciences
DUNS #
004413456
City
Nashville
State
TN
Country
United States
Zip Code
37203

  Publications

Xu, J; Wall, J T (1999) Evidence for brainstem and supra-brainstem contributions to rapid cortical plasticity in adult monkeys. J Neurosci 19:7578-90
Xu, J; Wall, J T (1999) Functional organization of tactile inputs from the hand in the cuneate nucleus and its relationship to organization in the somatosensory cortex. J Comp Neurol 411:369-89
Xu, J; Wall, J T (1997) Rapid changes in brainstem maps of adult primates after peripheral injury. Brain Res 774:211-5
Silva, A C; Rasey, S K; Wu, X et al. (1996) Initial cortical reactions to injury of the median and radial nerves to the hands of adult primates. J Comp Neurol 366:700-16
Xu, J; Wall, J T (1996) Cutaneous representations of the hand and other body parts in the cuneate nucleus of a primate, and some relationships to previously described cortical representations. Somatosens Mot Res 13:187-97
Kolarik, R C; Rasey, S K; Wall, J T (1994) The consistency, extent, and locations of early-onset changes in cortical nerve dominance aggregates following injury of nerves to primate hands. J Neurosci 14:4269-88
Florence, S L; Garraghty, P E; Wall, J T et al. (1994) Sensory afferent projections and area 3b somatotopy following median nerve cut and repair in macaque monkeys. Cereb Cortex 4:391-407
Wall, J T; Nepomuceno, V; Rasey, S K (1993) Nerve innervation of the hand and associated nerve dominance aggregates in the somatosensory cortex of a primate (squirrel monkey). J Comp Neurol 337:191-207
Wall, J T; Huerta, M F; Kaas, J H (1992) Changes in the cortical map of the hand following postnatal median nerve injury in monkeys: modification of somatotopic aggregates. J Neurosci 12:3445-55
Goyal, R; Rasey, S K; Wall, J T (1992) Current hypotheses of structural pattern formation in the somatosensory system and their potential relevance to humans. Brain Res 583:316-9

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